RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A Raleigh family believes that the return of Jesus Christ is near and people need to get ready.

Allison Warden says her family is so sure, that they're putting up billboards across the country announcing the return of the Messiah on May 21, 2011.

"Christ is going to return and rapture his elect, and the people that aren't saved will be left," Warden told ABC11.

How is Warden so sure?

"In First Thessalonians 5:4, it says 'but ye brethren are not in darkness that they should overtake you as a thief.' That was kind of the key verse for me when I was looking into it," she said.

Warden is a follower of controversial Christian leader Harold Camping - who says he's mathematically uncovered that May 21, 2011 is exactly 7000 years since Noah's flood. His radio show is broadcast in 38 states - but not North Carolina - so Warden says her family had to move here to spread the word.

"You're obligated to warn people, so I guess the first thing we're doing is attempting to warn people. The second thing we are hoping is they go to the scriptures, and what happens at that point is not our concern. It's not our business. It's God's business," Warden offered.

Part of that business has moved individuals to privately fund dozens of billboards. Warden has also started the website wecanknow.com and even wrapped her car with the warning.

But while the Bible does teach Jesus will return, most Christians believe the teaching that no man can know the date.

"I think, like many folks before, they are misguided because the Bible says no one knows the time when Christ will return other than God, and therefore we're not to be speculating as to when that's going to occur," explained Danny Akin who is president of the Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest.

Akin says he's seen predictions like this one before.

"Those who get involved in setting dates have one tragic common characteristic, they've all been wrong," he offered. "If they happen to be right, then praise God. I'll be happy to join them in the Rapture. I believe Jesus can come today and I believe he may not come for a thousand years. That's on God's timetable not ours."

_________________"T-shirts are not allowed in heaven, Karyn. They don't do casual Fridays." - Amandabear

This is such a relief! I had put together an aggressive plan to pay off my student loans by 2012, but now I can just skip it. I'll be living in a post-rapture world full of godless heathens and NONE of us will pay our student loans. They can't get all of us.

_________________Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet.--Philip K. Dick

This is such a relief! I had put together an aggressive plan to pay off my student loans by 2012, but now I can just skip it. I'll be living in a post-rapture world full of godless heathens and NONE of us will pay our student loans. They can't get all of us.

I am so glad you thought of this! Debt be gone! Thank you!I suddenly feel like a weight has been lifted.

This is such a relief! I had put together an aggressive plan to pay off my student loans by 2012, but now I can just skip it. I'll be living in a post-rapture world full of godless heathens and NONE of us will pay our student loans. They can't get all of us.

I know! To think of the money I was going to waste on paying off credit cards and the effort I've been spending on losing weight! Time and money wasted! Gimme some ice cream.

_________________"T-shirts are not allowed in heaven, Karyn. They don't do casual Fridays." - Amandabear

Ha, a relative of Harold Camping's--a cousin or nephew or something, I forget--lived in my hometown, and back when Camping was predicting September 6, 1994 as the date, the dude had painted a big notice on the back window of his car with the date of the second coming. It must have been embarrassing on September 7th.

_________________"All PPK gamers should put on their badge of shame right now. You will never leave the no-sex thread." - Vantine"I'm so glad my prison of principles has wifi." - Abelskiver

For argument's sake, let's all accept the idea that Christianity is the only right way, and that Jesus is the savior. Do you really think that he's going to base his return on hitting some nice even number like 5/21/11 or 12/12/12 or whatever as determined by the Gregorian calendar, which has only been around since 1582 and isn't even agreed upon globally?

If I were returning to trigger rapture or apocalypse or what-have-you, I'd do it at 2:51 pm on a random Thursday, say, in 3741 AD, so it'll be a surprise. No tickertape parades or banners, please, the Christ is humble and doesn't like a big to-do.